Jim Murphy, President of the Irish Hotels Federation, hosted a memorable golf day in September at Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort. The course was in excellent condition and proved a tough test for low and high handicappers alike! The IHF extends its thanks the sponsors National Linen.

Prize winners this year are as follows:

Ladies

1st Vera Madden

2nd Grainne Hynes

3rd Madeleine Drew-Byrne

Guests

1st Stephen Loftus, Prem Group

2nd Pyers O’Connor-Nash, Bank of Scotland

3rd Paddy Kelly, Prem Group

Nearest the Pin on 6th Green

Paddy Garland

Nearest the Pin on 16th Green

Peter Loughnane

Members

1st Frank Colgan, Spa Hotel, Lucan

2nd Richard Bourke, Jury’s Hotel, Ballsbridge

3rd Peter Quinn, Imperial Hotel, Dundalk

At the event, a new Inter Branch trophy was presented by Eric Rothschild to this year’s winner, the Dublin branch represented by Jim Murphy, President IHF and Frank Colgan, both with a combined score of 77 points. In addition, over €1,200 was raised on the day for the IHF Presidents wife Annette Murphy’s worthy cause of supplying computer equipment for a special needs school for children.

Vera Madden, Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis; Receiving the ladies section winners prize from Jim Murphy, President, IHF and Denis O’Callaghan, Group Chief Executive, National Linen (Sponsor)

Stephen Loftus, Prem Group receiving his guests section winners prize from Jim Murphy, President, IHF and Denis O’Callaghan.

Frank Colgan, Spa Hotel Lucan (Centre) receiving the members section winners prize from Jim Murphy, President, IHF and Denis O’Callaghan, Group Chief Executive, National Linen

A new Fáilte Ireland Training Centre for Cork has been officially opened by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr. John O’Donoghue T.D. Situated on Albert Road, the €1.4 million state-of-the-art centre will provide skills training for the tourism industry, with a particular emphasis on training adults. It will also provide consultancy advice to tourism and hospitality businesses in the greater Cork/Kerry region. It is one of four such centres in the country operated by Fáilte Ireland.

Speaking at the opening Minister O’Donoghue stressed the importance of staff to the success of the Irish tourism product.

"Get a Life ….in Tourism", the free magazine targeting 15-18 year olds was launched recently by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr. John O’Donoghoe, T.D. Published by Hotel & Catering Review and co-produced by the Irish Hotels Federation and Fáilte Ireland, it contains comprehensive information on every aspect of careers in the sector and will be distributed through Careers Guidance teachers in second level schools throughout the country.

Commenting at the launch Jim Murphy, President, Irish Hotels Federation, said that in designing this year’s magazine, the IHF wanted to give students a realistic idea of what to expect from a career in the industry and demonstrated this through a variety of ‘day in the life’ style profiles of young people currently working in the sector.

"Ireland’s tourism industry is now recognised as one of our largest indigenous industries. The sector, despite difficulties in recent years, now employs 150,000 people and makes a financial contribution of €4 billion to our economy. The young people in the industry have become its driving force, making it an increasingly vibrant industry to work in and one in which promotional opportunities can accelerate the career paths of those who display dedication and willingness to learn. It is my hope that this year, as in previous years, Get a Life…in Tourism will promote to second level students the rewarding and satisfying careers they can look forward to in Ireland’s tourism industry," Mr Murphy concluded.

The magazine was launched in conjunction with the Fáilte Ireland’s Go Places in Tourism Roadshow, which will visit every region in the country during October and November and features cookery demonstrations, video presentations and information sessions on careers in tourism. Audiences are encouraged to take part in the shows, which are hosted by qualified tourism professionals. Students will also be able to chat to people close to their own age, who have completed training and are now working in the industry, or who are currently studying a tourism related subject.

For copies of "Get a Life …in Tourism" contact the IHF on 01-4976459

Hayfield Manor has won the Barry’s Tea Afternoon Tea Award for 2003. The award marks the increasing popularity of afternoon tea in Ireland. Hayfield Manor won the award on a number of factors including its classic and contemporary surroundings, providing the ideal setting for afternoon tea. The property received a specially commissioned trophy, handcrafted by Diane McCormack and €1,250 for staff. The two other finalist hotels were the Herbert Park Hotel and the Merrion Hotel, both in Dublin.

Pictured are (l-r) Joe Scally, Proprietor of Hayfield Manor; Greg Butler, Finance & Marketing Director of Barry’s Tea and model Natasha Byram.

The Blaney Group, with the help of singer Mickey Harte, has launched a brochure to tap into Donegal’s tourism potential. The group has grown rapidly over the last decade and now consists of six family-run business premises including The Silver Tassie Hotel, The Milford Inn Hotel and The Portsalon Golf Hotel along with The Brewery Bar & Restaurant, The Central Bar & Night Club and The Water's Edge Restaurant and guest house. The initiative is one of a number of other marketing activities planned by the group for the future.

Pictured are (l-r) Mandy Blaney, Rose Blaney, Mickey Harte, Ciaran Blaney, Grainne Blaney.

Druids Glen Marriott Hotel & Country Club recently opened their second restaurant - Druids Restaurant - a new family style eatery which has an emphasis on casual dining with quick and friendly service. The restaurant is open 5.30 - 10.30pm daily. The new restaurant is intended to compliment the existing Flynn's Steakhouse.

Trevor Cunningham (22), Senior Chef de Partie at the Nuremore Hotel & Country Club in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan has won the prestigious titles of All- Ireland Young Chef of the Year 2003 and the overall award of All-Ireland Chef of the Year. Trevor beat off stiff competition from over thirty other participants in both the junior and senior categories. As winner of the All-Ireland Chef of the Year, he now goes forward to represent Ireland in the UK Chef of the Year competition, taking place in London in September 2004. This is the second time in a row that the Nuremore Hotel has scooped a top award in this competition - Head Chef Raymond McArdle won the senior title in the last competition in 2001.

Trevor Cunningham, of the Nuremore Hotel & Country Club.

Two dozen staff from the Radisson SAS Hotel Galway donned wet gear and wellies to spend a wet September afternoon squelching in and out of Lough Atalia, rescuing rubbish and cleaning up the local community.

Lough Atalia is very special to Galway's wild bird population, where a variety of native species, including kingfisher, lapwing, and oyster-catcher can be spotted - all of whom are hopefully grateful to the Radisson SAS staff for cleaning up their home!

Galway City Council was on hand to remove rubbish for both re-cycling and landfill, and both Michael McNamara & Co and Shane O'Flaherty Cleaning Supplies supported the hotel's initiative. Radisson SAS Hotels across the world designated September to be environmental action month. The Galway hotel is both enhancing the vicinity and has also pledged to raise €20,000 for local heart charity CROI.

Pictured are (l-r) Abhilash Baby-C, Purchasing Clerk; Jens Brandin, Rooms Division Manager; Phil Finnegan, Level 5 Supervisor.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) hosted its 7th annual ceremony in September last at a ceremony attended by over 300 HSMAI members and tourism industry professionals.

HSMAI winners 2003:

Best Advertisement - McCann-Erickson Worldgroup – Post it Campaign;

Best Hotel Brochure -Park Hotel Kenmare;

Best Tourism Brochure - Dublin Convention Bureau;

Best Customer Care Team - Stillorgan Park Hotel;

Best Hotel Sales Team - Gleneagle Hotel Killarney;

Best Marketing Innovation - "Cork Un-Corked";

Best Domestic Marketing Campaign - Clarion Hotel Limerick;

Best International Market Entry Strategy - Delphi Mountain Resort & Spa;

Best Irish Handling Agent - Abbey Tours;

Best Hotel Sales & Marketing Professional - Cara Fuller, Gleneagle Hotel;

Best Tourism Sales & Marketing Professional - Eamonn Rossi, Irish Genealogy;

Best Hotel Internet Strategy -The Temple Gate Hotel;

Best Tourism Sales Team - Kylemore Abbey & Gardens;

Best Tourism Internet Strategy - South East Tourism;

Best Agency Campaign - McCann-Erickson for Bord Fáilte – Paper Clips Campaign.

Pictured is Linda Walsh, Sales & Marketing Manager, Clarion Hotel Limerick accepting the award for Best Domestic Marketing Campaign from Minister For Tourism John O’Donoghue T.D., sponsor John Clifton, Burlington Hotel and Alex Gibson, HSMAI President.

Anna Wood has been appointed Director of Sales and Marketing at the Clarence Hotel Dublin. She joins the hotel from the Conrad Ireland Group, Hilton’s 5* luxury hotel brand, based in Dublin. Prior to this position, she was the Sales and Marketing Manager at The Vaults in the IFSC and was a member of the re-opening team under the venue’s General Manager Michael Martin. In her new role, Anna will be responsible for sales, business development, PR and marketing at The Clarence.

The Radisson SAS Hotel Galway has made two appointments at its new Spirit One Spa. Denise Yates is the new Spa Manager with five years of experience from her native Australia. A qualified Remedial Therapist, Denise has extensive management experience in spa therapies and body therapies. She previously worked in some of Australia's top Spas including the Dome Retreat at the Marriott Hotel, Brisbane and Ashgrove Well-Being Centre in Queensland.

Emer Gillen has been appointed Beauty Manager at the Radisson SAS Hotel Galway’s Spa. Prior to joining the Radisson SAS, Emer taught in Galway's 'Georgina Price College of Beauty Therapy', where she herself initially trained in 1999, gaining the internationally recognised examination councils, ITEC, CIBTAC and CIDESCO in beauty, body and electrolysis. Emer previously worked with the Steiner Trans-Ocean liner as Assistant Manager in charge of the liner's entire hair, beauty and fitness centre.

Ray Byrne believes last January was a watershed for Ireland’s restaurateurs. It was the wake up call that something had to be done, and quickly, to address the perception among the public that eating out meant bad value.

When the Irish Times penned an editorial on the subject that month, the industry just knew it had to respond. And respond it did in the form of "value menus" offering diners a two-course menu at a fixed prices of no more than €30 a head. These are now available in some 300 restaurants and hotels the length and breath of the country.

"I don’t think any of us restaurateurs had ever before seen an editorial that had focussed so specifically on whether eating out offered value for money. We’d been beaten over the head for months about prices, but this was the final straw and we had to react".

Byrne, who with his wife Jane operates The Wine Port Lodge, near Glasson in Co Westmeath, feels the restaurant owners had, and still have, a case to make that shows Ireland’s restaurants are not very profitable. Just under ten years ago, the Irish Restaurants’ Association, of which he is an active soldier, hired accountants Simpson Xavier to survey the sector and this showed that costs were rising and that restaurateurs were on average only left with 4% profit margin.

"I don’t believe that situation has changed a lot", says Byrne. "If anything the profit margin may have tightened a fraction to 3%", he adds. "But no matter what we say, the customer is no longer interested in that argument. We knew that last January and hence the collective reaction in the form of the ‘value menu’", he adds.

"I realise it is difficult for the public to understand the issues centred round costs, which continue to rise", he explains. Byrne says that 40% of his turnover goes in purchasing inputs (food, drink etc) for The Wine Port Lodge. Labour accounts for a little more than 30%, while 20% goes on other vital expenses such as heat and light. "That adds up to a bit more than 90% and so all it takes is a bit of slippage in any of these areas and your down to your 4% profit – and what business can survive on 4%?"

The domestic market has been our saviour

The restaurants that are making good returns, he claims, are the fast-food outlets that don’t use table linen, fancy glasses or real cutlery and which don’t have to survive on low volumes.

Byrne cites the fact that in Ireland there are very few second-generation restaurants to support his theory on the poor return being achieved. "John Howard’s daughter could have taken on Le Coq Hardi when he decided to retire a few years ago. But she, like many others in the business, did not find the potential return a just reward for working bank holidays, weekends and anti-social hours", he suggests.

For all that though, Byrne still reckons the restaurant side of the hospitality industry has survived the last three difficult years much better than the hoteliers. "The domestic market has been our saviour", he comments.

The Wine Port Lodge is heavily dependent on domestic trade – first from the locality and, second, the boating/leisure trade that is attracted to nearby Lough Ree on the Shannon. The restaurant also does good corporate business, principally out of the Athlone region where the IDA’s property division is located.

Tourism now accounts for perhaps little more than 15% of business and has declined in recent years along with the German economy. That market had been a strong source of boating business for the Shannon region and the Wine Port Lodge naturally enough attracted a slice of that business.

"The first year we opened, it was not unusual to see up to 30 Germans coming through the door between 5 and 6pm looking for oysters and champagne. The next year the number had halved and it had just about disappeared by the third year.

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